Virginia Gravity Flow Winery: A Transformative Journey

Abstract

This thesis is embodied by the design of a new gravity flow winery on the eastern slopes of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Northern Virginia. The 100 acre site is home to an existing winery with grape vines aged over a decade.

From its initial inception, this thesis has been in part a response to the rapidly growing wine industry in Virginia and the typical ad hoc architecture associated with the wineries serving the state. The swelling interest in the culture of wine has sparked an evolution of the role of wineries. The winery of today is both an establishment for the production of wine as well as a venue for the enjoyment of its product and the delight of its natural setting. Creating a dialogue between site and visitor via thoughtful engagement of earth, air and sky is key for establishing a sense of place. The winery at the heart of this thesis is the quintessence of these ideals.

The architecture of this winery embraces the steps of gravity flow winemaking, which aims to preserve the integrity of the grapes by utilizing gravity instead of electric pumps. The design seeks to make these steps perceivable and understandable, taking a visitor from the wind swept heights of the mountainside to the cool air of the winery's subterranean vaults and back again. From vine to glass and from layperson to student of wine, this shared journey engenders a transformation of both grape and visitor.